- Demo Update v0.59.0 Alpha - 9 September 2026
Demo Update v0.59.0 AlphaA small one, two days after Hellsurge. It comes straight out of the exit survey and the session data: Rift 1's second and third phases were reading as brutal on the mid difficulty with a full squad, the squad was letting Hellploders get too close before opening fire, and a Boomer going off in a crowd was not taking the crowd with it. All three are addressed here, along with a round of cleanup that makes the game run smoother.Level Phases 2 and 3 breathe easierA full squad draws a little less pressure on the mid difficulty. Three or four squad members used to pull more enemies than the squad's real firepower could handle, so the middle setting played like the top one with a full team. That scaling is now gentler, and the spice strikes that come with a full squad are smaller. Easy and Elite are untouched, and playing solo is exactly as before.The hottest pushes si…
- Demo Update v0.58.0 Alpha: Panic and Hellsurge - 7 September 2026
Panic and HellsurgeDemo Update v0.58.0 AlphaThree weeks since Seal the Rift. This update is about making combat more dynamic, so a fight feels varied instead of the same wall of bodies every minute of every run. Three things carry that: a new fodder enemy, the Hellbug, which dies to a single hit but never arrives alone; combos turned into a weapon, where every redeemed combo fires a shockwave and lights a Hellsurge of speed and firepower through the squad, bigger with every tier; and enemies that behave in more ways, losing their nerve, marching in formations, charging in close and rising again as zombies.The second theme is communication. The game now tells you where a run stands and what to do about it: you leave a raid by walking out through extraction, the mission tracker always points at the next open objective, and the phase menu says what is left to chase.Much of this came out of…
- Demo Update v0.51.0 Alpha: Seal the Rift - 14 August 2026
Demo Update v0.51.0 AlphaThis is the largest update Hellrifters has had. Two months of work, and it lands on the parts of the game you spend the most time with: the campaign has an ending you can actually reach, levels breathe between pushes, and your aim steers the squad's fire in every mode instead of only in Directional.Here is everything new since v0.41.0.A note before you read on: this is not the final progression design for the campaign. What the demo runs on now is a directional version, built so the sealing loop is something you can play through from end to end rather than read about. It hands you the Cores and Shards along a fixed route of phases. Where this is going is a campaign that lets you choose your own: you decide which missions to take on and gather the Cores and Shards a Rift demands from wherever you prefer to earn them, instead of following one prescribed path. Rift…
- Level Up UX Update — v0.41.0 Alpha - 13 June 2026
NotableEvery Campaign mission in the demo runs 3 minutes longer. More time per level means more room to build your squad, push your synergies, and reach the harder waves before a mission wraps up.Level up cards now show their mastery payoff at a glance. Basic upgrade cards surface the single most important outcome: whether the pick unlocks a mastery, brings an incoming mastery discount, or fills synergy bars. Premium cards show how many synergies you have already collected toward their mastery.MinorThe XP bar now animates correctly on level up: it fills to full before the level up fires, then animates the overflow into the next level afterward. Previously the level up interrupted instantly and the next bar looked empty until your next pickup.Mega XP gems from Hellshrines now grant exactly one level up each instead of often chaining two in a row. The value is anchored to one full level's…
- Demo Update v0.40.1 Alpha: The Devil Speaks - 9 June 2026
The big one this update: Hellrifters now has a story. A narrative wraps around your missions, the Campaign is open from the start, and you can preview every character and loadout before you commit. Here is everything new since v0.36.2.New: a story layerHellrifters now has a narrative running through the Campaign, woven into the menus and the missions themselves. The General and the Devil each deliver their lines in their own mumbling voice as the text types out, giving them a distinct presence without a word of spoken dialogue.Mission briefings. Before each mission, the General briefs you in on a dedicated briefing screen, complete with the Rift Order's own tactical illustrations laying out the threat and the objective.The Devil. At the start of each mission, the Devil himself speaks to you. He performs a grand, cosmic-horror menace, but it is a mask he cannot keep up. The further you p…
- v0.36.2 Alpha: Combat Overhaul - 1 June 2026
This is a major update for Hellrifters. Combat has been rebuilt around what the game does best: commanding a squad through overwhelming hordes. You move, aim the squad, and carve through enemies while four Hellrifters keep up a steady stream of fire.Several systems have been removed or simplified so fights flow faster, with less micromanagement between you and the action. Hellrifters now leans harder into its identity as a twin-stick squad roguelite with horde survival combat: you steer the mayhem, your squad brings the firepower.Major Changes:Streamlined core combat. Less management overhead, more focus on movement, positioning, and aiming your squad into the horde. The details are below.Unlimited main weapon reserve. Your squad no longer runs dry in the middle of a horde or gets forced onto sidearms at the worst possible moment. Magazines still empty and reload as before, so the firin…
- Update v0.34.0 Alpha - 28 May 2026
Update v0.34.0 Alpha New Features:Mission tagging added to the level selection menu.Mission statuses now shown on the end-of-run screen.Changes:Improved level lighting for better readability (arenas and campaign level 3 got fresh lighting).Performance optimizations for a smoother, more stable framerate in heavy fights.Fewer body pieces from destroyed enemies, reducing on-screen clutter.Bug fixes:Fast enemies no longer kill themselves with body pieces that are not in damage mode.With the Combat Boots Premium Upgrade "Life is Kicking Back!", kicked objects now heal you only once per piece.
- Local 2-4 Player Co-Op - 20 May 2026
Demo v0.32.0 AlphaNew Features:Local 2-4 player co-op mode. Players can join co-op at any time in any game mode via the squad selection menu. Supports KB + 3 controllers or 4 controllers.Three shooting modes selectable in Options. Auto = full auto-aim (legacy). Directional (new default) = squad auto-fires only at enemies in a cone around your aim. Manual = pure twin-stick, no auto-aim. Directional gives you directional control without precise aim, while still letting you focus on positioning and abilities. Enemies within 4 meters always get shot regardless of mode.Enemies no longer die in place. Lethal hits now knock enemies back, with extra knockback in the direction of the hit. The effect is especially visible with the sniper.Direct feedback / bug reporting to the developer via Discord. Press F11 at any point during the game to send a message.Hellshrines now spawn "protectors" when a…
- Play Insensible Soccer: The Squad Tactics Update - 13 May 2026
The biggest content update I have shipped to the Hellrifters Demo so far. Your squad isn't just cannon fodder anymore. They also play insensible soccer!Squad members now play like a real team, with each class taking on its own role in the kick-and-pass flow. Body pieces are no longer just a side effect of combat but a central way to resolve situations. And when the squad pulls it off, the camera stops to show you the highlights.Squad Personality: Each Class Has Its Own RoleEvery class now has its own AI profile and stats that determine how it participates in kicking pieces, passing, and engaging enemies. The squad now plays like a proper lineup where different members take on different jobs.If a character finds a piece but has no target in range, they pass it to another squad member who does have one within striking distance. Pass speed scales with passing distance. Characters also reco…
- Major Update – Battle Arena, Auto-Shoot & Dominance System - 20 April 2026
Hellrifters Demo v0.20.2 Alpha This is one of the biggest updates to the Hellrifters demo yet — a brand new game mode, a new way to play, and a deep new risk/reward system that reshapes every run. If you played the demo earlier, it's worth another look. New Game Mode: Battle Arena Survive enemy waves, level up your squad between rounds, and see how far you can push before the horde breaks through. Battle Arena is built for fast, replayable runs and it shares full meta-progression with Rift Campaign. Every unlock, every upgrade, every bit of progress carries over between modes. Two game modes. One squad. One path forward. Auto-Shoot ModeA new optional playstyle. Your squad fires automatically at targets while you focus on positioning, movement, and tactics, a more relaxed, horde-shooter-style experience popular in the genre. You can still override with manual aim at any moment. Manual-Sh…
